• Says some states richer than Gambia, Benin, Liberia
COORDINATING Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has taken a swipe at state governors over what she described as “misuse” of the monthly budgetary allocation they get from the federation account.
The minister, speaking at the 12th convocation of Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, said basic public services such as education, health and agriculture fell under the concurrent list, but wondered why citizens always blamed the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for the failings of some state governments, who get monthly allocation larger than countries like Liberia, The Gambia and the Republic of Benin.
Okonjo-Iweala, awarded with Doctor of Science in Global Economic Development (Honoris Causa), in a lecture with the theme: “Transforming Nigeria’s Economy: Opportunities and Challenges,” she urged Nigerians to begin to demand improved standards of living from their state governments, rather than accusing the Federal Government of insensitivity all the time.
She listed Nigeria’s 10 highest revenue receiving states based on the federal allocations in 2013.
The states and their allocations, according to her, were Akwa Ibom, N260 billion; Rivers, N230 billion; Delta, N209 billion; Bayelsa, N173 billion; Lagos, N168 billion; Kano, N140 billion; Katsina, N103 billion; Oyo, N100 billion; Kaduna, N 97billion and Borno, N94 billion.
“So you see that our top 10 states receive more money than these countries and, therefore, you should be asking what is this money being used for?” Okonjo-Iweala said.
Source: Tribune
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